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May 2001

Are We Still in the Same Business?

This essay calls attention to the phenomenon around real estate in mountain communities and the growing disconnect between skiing and spending time at resort hideaways. What do the astronomical prices of real estate and associated images say about our sport? How do we get more people invovled in skiing and riding? Does it matter?

Are There Casualties of the Season Pass Wars in Colorado?

Discounted ticket pricing and special passes for the 2001-2002 season in Colorado are making it difficult for some smaller- and medium-sized areas to play the game.

Making a Good First Impression

Smart layout in the rental shop can help customer flow, alleviate anxiety and generate happy guests.

Making the Model Work

As promised, the NSAA released a handbook of best practices culled from effective methods for increasing trial and conversion rates from around the country. The handbook was the next step after NSAA released the Model for Growth.

More Than Just a Smile

Managers say that good interpersonal skills, especially in front-line positions, build good customer relations and add to success.

Grooming Vehicles 2001

This is the annual roundup of grooming vehicles. A table of specifications accompanies the article.

Strength in Numbers

How Midwest ski areas formed a buying group to get better rental equipment. The buying muscle presented by a group helped bring about some changes to make new shaped gear stand up to abuse while processing orders earlier.

In the Aftermath of Fire

A story about the turnaround and rebuilding of the main lodge at Maplelag cross-country ski resort in Minnesota. The lodge burned to the ground in 1999, the new lodge combines state-of-the-art features with old charm. There's a sidebar on the fire that destroyed the maintenance shed at Jackson Ski Touring in New Hampshire.

Who's on the Slopes?

Preliminary numbers from the annual National Skier/Boarder Opinion Survey show some shift in demographics that might lead to adjustments in marketing.

1999-2000 Economic Analysis

The annual report on business across the country revealed an overall drop in profit, but gains in the Midwest.

Way Back When in SAM

This is a look back at SAM issues and articles appearing 25 years before and 10 years before. The highlights include the Haskell Hearings, NSAA/Coke program, Buddy Hackett's PSA, Beaver Creek development, ski brakes, the HKD snowmaking system debut and, 10 years ago, the USIA begins to unravel.

The Pride of the Patrol

Beaver Mountain, Utah, volunteer ski patrol replaced its small headquarters with a new facility using donated supplies, labor and money.

Putting the Fleet Up for Summer

This is a description of the most important tips to follow when putting grooming vehicles under wraps once the ski season has ended.

Green and Profitable

How an environmental audit of the ski area operations can lead to more efficiency, good PR and, best of all, a healthy bottom line.

Guess Who's Coming to Ride?

A description of Aspen Mountain opening to snowboarders on April 1, 2001. About 2,500 snowboarders showed up on the historic day.

Tell Guests to Get Lost

A description of how pre-packaged mazes have helped some resorts earn cash during the summer.

Business Websites

Three Websites to make bookmarks for legal matters, office supplies and filling part-time and seasonal positions.

World Ropeways

A review of Hans Dieter Schmoll's book on the history of ropeway transportation, 'Welt Seilbahn Geschichte.' Many illustrations, text is in German. Two volumes.

Blue Pages

Has the Les Otten Saga Ended (looking into the latest ASC news as well as remarks about the other conglomerates); Vancouver's Bid for the 2010 Olympics; Forest Service Insider Named Chief (Appointment of Dale Bosworth); Newest Enviro Thing: 'programmatic EIS' (unhappy with the Forest Service, enviros push for a comprehensive study of how ski expansions affect the forest system); Bass Starts Traininf for Everest (Again); Insurance Coverage for Ski Injuries at Risk (proposed loopholes for personal coverage); Snowbird Socks it to S.O.C. (prevailing in a court case brought by Save Our Canyons against expansion plans and a structure on Hidden Peak).

At Last...Snow

The review of business on the continent shows that near-perfect winter weather will result in some new records in both the U.S. and Canada.

Let's Not Market Danger

A reminder to USST that it does no service when trying to build an audience by hyping the alleged danger of skiing and snowboarding when the industry is trying to grow participation. It was written in response to a press release announcing a new marketing campaign to 'capture the excitement and danger of the sports.'

Just Cleaning Up at Aspen

Kreitman's take on the much ballyhooed opening of Aspen's slopes to snowboarders on April 1, 2001 is a check with reality and shows the move just brings the ski resort up to par and normalcy with most of the rest of the civilized resort world.

Coming Full Circle

The piece is an excerpt of a book review from the November 1985 SAM followed by commentary by Jennifer. The point is, the new handbook of best marketing/service practices aimed at increasing trial and conversion numbers published by NSAA (featured in an article on page 77 this issue) is an old concept that has been repackaged, but it's an excellent package. Hopefully, the industry will take notice and use the book to its best and continuous advantage.

Remembering Dave McTaggart

A remembrance of the roguish founder of Greenpeace and his earlier forays into the ski industry. David McTaggart was 69 when he died in a car crash in Italy on March 23, 2001.